Editorial: 'Tonight Show' news puts Hollywood woes in spotlight

After reports that "The Tonight Show" may move from Burbank to New York, the decline of television and movie production in Southern California is a hot topic again. Johnny Carson fans might ask: How hot is it? Unfortunately this is no joke.

It's as hot as elected officials choose to make it, and now is the time to choose.

On the heels of the "Tonight" news last week came reports about the struggles of movie visual-effects houses and artists. This dramatizes the problem of so-called runaway production. For years, the film and TV industry has been leaving for other states and countries that offer richer tax credits and other economic benefits.

In the case of "Tonight," speculation about a move to New York coincides with the prospect that NBC will replace host Jay Leno with Jimmy Fallon in 2014. Fallon is from New York and his current NBC late-night show is based there. He'd like to stay.

But the network probably wouldn't return the longest-running entertainment show on TV to the East Coast if the West Coast still were the center of the film and TV universe. Carson's "Tonight" moved from Midtown Manhattan to the edge of the San Fernando Valley in 1972 in part because it was easier to find guests in California. There was cachet in the show's nightly opening: "From Hollywood, 'The Tonight Show' ... "

Now, not so much. Nobody, and no place, rules entertainment in this era of technological change, globalization and other economic currents. Californians are accustomed to movies being shot in Vancouver as easily as Hollywood. New York has been particularly aggressive about offering generous production tax credits -- a new one of which seems to be written specifically to lure "Tonight. "

How serious are L.A.-area and California officials about responding to the threat? Between Democratic politicians who crave entertainment-industry campaign contributions, legislators representing show-business-rich districts, and an L.A. mayor who loves the red carpet, they talk a good game and do offer some relief. This includes L.A. mayoral candidates Eric Garcetti, who represents Hollywood on the City Council, and Wendy Greuel, a former DreamWorks executive.

State legislation co-authored by then-Assemblyman (and soon-to-be L.A. City Councilman) Felipe Fuentes extended California's $100 million-a-year production tax credit for three years. The L.A. City Council said last month it plans to waive permit fees for TV pilot productions.

But like those in any industry with an eye on expenses, entertainment executives want permanence and predictability about tax breaks instead of waivers and extensions.

Entertainment is said to still account for $47 billion in annual output and directly or indirectly creates more than a half-million jobs in L.A. County.

Do public officials want to enhance that marquee local industry? Or is it not a top economic priority?